-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Flooding described by India 's prime minister as the worst in recent times , has left at least 95 people dead and almost 2 million others homeless in the country 's remote Assam state .

The Brahmaputra river overflowed during monsoon rains over the past week , flooding more than 2,000 villages and destroying homes in the northeast of the country , officials said .

Most of the dead were swept away by the fast-flowing water , while 16 were reported to have been buried by landslides caused by the heavy rains .

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists Monday that almost half a million people were living in relief camps , and the remaining of the displaced were staying with relatives or living in the open , using tarpaulin sheets for shelter .

Sabir Ali , who lives in one of the affected villages , had to move his family to higher ground with only what they could carry .

`` I am stuck . How will I survive ? I 've been forced to move to railways tracks with my children , '' he told CNN-IBN .

But water levels have begun to recede , and thousands have returned to damaged homes . A report issued on Tuesday lowered the number of evacuees to 370,000 .

Assam 's State Disaster Management Authority reported that at least 14 people are missing .

The agency reported that flooding had begun as early as June 24 in some areas and affected all of Assam 's 27 districts . It is considered the worst flooding the state has seen since 2004 . Assam 's river island of Majuli experienced its worst flooding since 1950 .

Prime Minister Singh and Sonia Gandhi of India 's ruling Congress party flew over the flooded areas to survey the damage . Singh announced that an initial 5 billion rupees -LRB- US$ 90 million -RRB- would be given in emergency funds to help with recovery efforts .

`` I have witnessed the extensive damage that the floods have caused . The people of Assam are facing one of the worst floods in recent times , '' Singh said in a prepared statement .

After his tour of the affected districts , Singh said military helicopters were dropping food packets and drinking water to marooned people , and soldiers were using speedboats to rescue villages from rooftops .

`` Once we have completed rescue and relief operation , our focus will shift to restoration of the damaged infrastructure , '' Singh said .

Large swaths of cropland have been affected by the flooding , and a railway line has been severely damaged by landslides .

Every year the monsoon dumps heavy rains across India , and every year it claims lives . The total number of deaths throughout India attributed to monsoon season this year has reached 236 .

Minnesota , Wisconsin residents cope with deadly flooding

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At least 95 people dead , almost 2 million others forced from their homes

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Indian state of Assam in the northeast is the most affected area

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It is considered the worst flooding since 2004

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has committed $ 90 million for relief effort